When the earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, as many as 250,000 people died and hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless, with not even the bare minimum of essentials to survive.
As a country that was already known as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti was already struggling with insurmountable problems.
The lack of adequate food and clean drinking water often perpetuated
desperate and dangerous living conditions for thousands of Haiti's children.
The risk of severe malnutrition was on the rise, as was the risk of diseases such as cholera.
desperate and dangerous living conditions for thousands of Haiti's children.
The risk of severe malnutrition was on the rise, as was the risk of diseases such as cholera.
Even prior to the 2010 earthquake, Haiti was experiencing a crisis with a considerable population of orphans. The quake only exacerbated the situation by leaving, in its wake, thousands more vulnerable and orphaned children.
A year later, thousands of Haiti's population are still living in make shift tents. With little or no access to running water or proper sanitation systems, many families struggle daily to survive where food and clean drinking water are scarce.
In October of 2010, the people of Haiti were burdened with yet another crisis as a cholera outbreak took hold in one of the camps. A nightmare scenario played out as cholera, which hadn't been present in Haiti in nearly a century, spread like wildfire through out the vulnerable population. By the time the outbreak slowed, more than 4,500 Haitians had died and many thousands more were seriously sickened. As the disease spread, Haiti's already overstressed and understaffed hospital system was pushed further into crisis with the influx of sick and dying.
At the very least, the problems Haiti faces are daunting and some might say, overwhelming. But in the midst of all the struggles there are glimmers of hope. The Haitian people's collective spirit remains unbroken. The world community stepped up to help in many ways and has saved lives and prevented or reduced some of the suffering.
There is a lot to be done, yet, as Haiti continues to recover in small ways with each day, with each determined step, with each helping hand.
There is a lot that we can do. For while sometimes what we can do seems like so little in the grand scheme of things, to the child who has clean drinking water, the doctor who has the supplies to help his patients, the family who has a safe place to raise children, the father or mother who are given the opportunity to earn a living, or the child who has an opportunity to go to school, it is a lot.
With your involvement in organizations like that of Konbit Santé,you have the chance to positively affect the lives of the people of Haiti.
Our collective effort can be great.
Our collective effort can be great.
